Kelsey Shelton Uses Rotary Scholarship To Study Mideast

Courtesy of Kelsey Shelton

Kelsey Shelton took a two-week peace studies trip to Jerusalem last winter. She received a scholarship from the Enfield Rotary Club and took a class at the Hebrew Univesity of Jerusalem. Here she stands atop the Mount of Olives.

Kelsey Shelton took a two-week peace studies trip to Jerusalem last winter. She received a scholarship from the Enfield Rotary Club and took a class at the Hebrew Univesity of Jerusalem. Here she stands atop the Mount of Olives. (Courtesy of Kelsey Shelton)

Shelton, 20, of Enfield, will be a junior this fall at Baylor University, where she will continue her studies towards an international relations degree with a focus on the Middle East.

To further her education, Shelton applied for the Enfield Rotary Club's peace studies scholarship and was awarded a two-week trip to Jerusalem last December and January, where she took a course in peace studies at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

"It was an amazing experience," Shelton said. "It was my first time abroad. It was interesting to get all these different perspectives. It was great insight as to what is going on over there."

Shelton had a four-hour class each day and was given the rest of the time to explore. While in the class, Shelton met with professors, judges, journalists and scholars to talk about conflict resolution and religious tradition.

"We studied conflict resolution on a more interpersonal level and tried to help resolve it and mitigate it and have people live together better," Shelton said.

Shelton said she has taken a strong interest in the Middle East because of both the region's history and its current state of unrest.

"It's so complex and there's so many different facets there," Shelton said. "But at the same time, all of the beautiful art and history has brought juxtaposition between the beautiful things and all the danger there right now and how things are being destroyed."

Shelton said she would like to someday work toward resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

"I enjoy working on that as much as you can enjoy working on a problem like that," Shelton said. "As difficult as it is, it's still something I'd really want to do."

The biggest impact for Shelton during her trip was on the Greek Orthodox Christmas Eve, when her group was able to go to Bethlehem.

"It was a really poignant and sad moment to see the plight of the people, but there was a huge Christmas parade going on the street," Shelton said. "Seeing the resiliency of the people was really astounding."

The Enfield Rotary Club is currently offering another peace studies scholarship for 2015. Those interested in applying for the scholarship can find details and requirements online at enfieldctrotary.org.

"I did not want to come back and I wish I could go on it again this year," Shelton said. "It was an amazing experience."